Shoe lasting machine

ABSTRACT

Machinery and methods for side lasting shoes in which a gripper pulls the upper margin intermediate of the portion to be lasted and wiping means wipes the upper margin from one end of the portion progressively toward the gripper and stops short of the gripper whereupon a second wiping means wipes toward the gripper from the other end of said portion, the gripper releasing as the second wiping means approaches and the gripped upper portion is thereafter wiped.

United States Patent 1 Gadd et al. Sept. 18, 1973 SHOE LASTING MACHINE 2,945,247 7/1960 Kamborian etal. 12/83 [76] lnventors: Ronald O. C. Gadd, 25 Berridge Ln.;

Frank 142 Kmghton Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson both of Lelcester England Attorney-Vincent A. White et al. [22] Filed: Mar. 13, 1972 [21] Appl. No.2 233,991

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Applicafimi Priority Data Machinery and methods for side lasting shoes in which Mar. 1], Great Bfltaln a gripper pulls the upper margin intemediate of the portion to be lasted and wiping means wipes the upper UeS- CI- margin from one end of the portion progressively to- [5 ward the gripper and tops hort of the gripper where- Fleld of Search 9, 1 1.2, upon a second means wipes toward the gripper 12/ 1 B from the other end of said portion, the gripper releasing as the second wiping means approaches and the 7 References Cited gripped upper portion is thereafter wiped.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,787,011 4/1957 Frampton 12/83 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEU SEP 1 8 I973 snzamora 9 J w A E W l 3 w w m T w 1 NV 7 m w L F o k 9 a v 2 W k v. w M w M V I: W T o M l I I I l |l% IL snos LASTING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the conforming of shoe uppers to the shapes of appropriate lasts, a shoe upper assembled on a last, is usually tensioned about the last and marginal portions of the upper are wiped inwardly of corresponding edge portions of an insole positioned against the bottom of the last, the marginal portions of the upper being thereupon secured to the insole by appropriate securing means usually tacks or adhesive.

The opposite side portions of a shoe may be conveniently lasted (first at one side of the shoe and then at the other) by presentation of the shoe upper/insole/last assembly to a side lasting machine which acts progressively along a side portion of the assembly. Commonly, the marginal portions of the upper are secured to the insole by tacks such as by the use of a machine known in the shoe manufacturing trade as a tack side lasting machine; or by adhesive such as by the use of a machine known in the shoe manufacturing trade as a cement side lasting machine. The performance of the side lasting operation by either a tack side lasting machine or a cement side lasting machine as above referred to needs the exercising of a considerably degree of skill and manual effort by an operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the various objects of the present invention is to provide an improved machine for use in performing a lasting operation on side portions of shoes which machine enables the operation to be carried out in an automatic or semi-automatic manner with little attention from an operator. Another of the various objects of the present invention is to provide an improved method of lasting side portions of a shoe which requires little or no skill or attention by an operator.

In accordance with one feature, a shoe upper conforming machine includes a shoe support, a gripper arranged to pull a marginal portion of a shoe at one side of the shoe at a locality intermediate the ends of the side portion to be lasted heightwise away from the bottom of a last and inwardly of an edge portion thereof, wiping means arranged to wipe marginal portions of the upper inwardly across corresponding edge portions of an insole, on the last bottom means for applying the wiping means to the lasting margin first in the vicinity of one end of the side portion of the shoe to be lasted and for moving the wiping means lengthwise of the shoe towards the gripper, movement of the wiping means being arrested before it reaches said gripper, the machine also having second wiping means, and means for so operation the second wiping means for application to the lasting margin in the vicinity of the other end of the side portion of the shoe and for movement lengthwise of the shoe towards said gripper, means for then causing the gripper to release the upper so that the second wiping means, as it continues to operate, wipes in the portion of the lasting margin which had been gripped by the gripper.

According to another feature, the machine may be arranged wherein a single wiping means is effective and the means for operating the wiping means causes it to be applied to the lasting margin first in a locality at one end of the side portion of the shoe to be lasted and to move lengthwise of the shoe towards the locality of the portion of the upper gripped'by the gripper and there being means for then causing the gripper to release the upper so that the wiping means, as it continues to operate, wipes in the portion which had been gripped by the gripper and proceeds to wipe in marginal portions of the upper as the wiper moves to the other end of said side portion of the shoe. Such an arrangement may be especially useful where prior to the side lasting operation the toe end of the shoe has been previously lasted to the joint or ball region.

In a modified version of the machine, the shoe supporting means is not fixed in relation to the lasting instrumentalities but may be provided by a shoesupporting jack which can travel sequentially through a number of lasting stations. These stations may include two side lasting stations each of which is provided with lasting instrumentalities of the fonn provided above. Conveniently, cementing means may be provided which is so organized that, as a shoe assembly on the shoe-supporting jack travels towards the first of the side lasting stations a deposit of adhesive is formed along the marginal portion of the insole along that side of the shoe which is to be lasted by the immediately succeeding station and a second adhesive applying means may be provided between the first and second side lasting stations and arranged to apply adhesive to the marginal portions of the insole at the other side of the shoe as the shoe moved towards the second side lasting station.

The invention also provides a method of lasting a side portion of the upper of a shoe which comprises the steps of gripping a marginal portion of the upper at one side of a shoe at a locality intermediate of the ends of the side portion to be lasted, pulling said marginal portion of the upper heightwise away from the shoe bottom and inwardly of an adjacent edge of the insole, and, while maintaining the pull on the upper causing marginal portions of the upper to be progressively wiped inwardly with respect to edge portions of the insole by wiping means which is caused, as it operates, to move along said side portion from one end thereof towards the gripped portion of the upper, arresting the wiping operation, then causing marginal portions of the upper to be progressively wiped inwardly with respect to edge portiona of the insole by wiping means which is caused, as it operates, to move along said side portion from the other end thereof towards the gripped portion of the upper, releasing the grip on the upper, and causing the wiping operation to progress sufficiently along the shoe to wipe the previously gripped portion of the lasting margin inwardly with respect to the insole.

The invention also provides, in accordance with another of its several features, a method of lasting a side portion of the upper of a shoe which comprises the steps of gripping a marginal portion of the upper at one side of a shoe at a locality intermediate the ends of the portion to be side lasted, pulling said marginal portion of the upper heightwise away from the shoe bottom and inwardly of an adjacent edge of the insole, and, while maintaining the pull on the upper, causing marginal portions of the upper to be progressively wiped inwardly with respect to edge portions of the insole by wiping means which is caused, as it operates, to move along side portions of the shoe from a locality adjacent one end of the side portion to be lasted towards the locality at which the upper is gripped, and as the progressive wiping operation arrives in the vicinity of that locality, relaxing the grip on said marginal portion of the upper so that it may be wiped in as the wiping operation progresses towards the other end of the side portion of.

the shoe being lasted.

In using the above machines, the shoe assembly will preferably be previously tow lasted and possibly heel seat lasted before the side lasting operation takes place. However, if, prior to the side lasting operation, the toe end portion of the last has been previously lasted back to about the joint region, the machine may be provided only with a single wiping means operable from the heel end toward the toe or alternatively the second wiping means may be deactuated. It will, furtherfore, be appreciated that it is not necessary to last the toe portion of the shoe entirely before the side lasting procedure is carried out. It is preferred, however, that the toe portion of the shoe will at least have been pulled over and portions of the upper at about the tip-line secured to the insole before the side lasting operation is carried out.

In cases where the above machines and/or methods follow heel seat lasting of a shoe assembly, it will be appreciated that marginal portions of the upper at the heel end will have already been wiped with respect to the edge of the insole so that, at the region at which the progressive wiping operation along the side of the shoe commences, the lasting margin will already be laid against the insole or will be inclined theretowards de pending on the exact spot at which the wiping operation commences. If it is desired to last side portions of shoes on shoe assemblies which have not been previously seat lasted it may be necessary before commencing the inwiping operation along side portions of the shoe, to deflect portions of the lasting margin at the sides of the heel portion inwardly with respect to the edge of the insole prior to the commencing of the wiping operation.

In order that the above and others of the various objects, and the several features, of the invention may become more clearthere is hereafter provided a more detailed description of methods and machines illustrative of the invention. It is however, to be clearly understood that the illustrative machine and the illustrative methods are selected for description merely by way of exemplification of the invention and not by way of limitation thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view showing operative instrumentalities of the illustrative machine, somewhat in schematic form, the instrumentalities being shown in the positions which they occupy in readiness to operate on a shoe mounted on shoe supporting means of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, looking in the direction of the arrow III in FIG. 1, showing a gripper and associated parts of the illustrative machine;

FIG. 4 is a detail view, in plan, showing a motor drive portion of the illustrative machine; and

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing certain parts of a pneumatic control circuit of the illustrative machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS The illustrative machine comprises a base plate 1 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) on which is mounted means for supporting a shoe assembly comprising an upper U mounted on a last L having an insole I on the last bottom, the toe and heel seat portions of the upper assembly having been previously lasted. The assembly is supported bottom up in the machine and for this purpose the show supporting means includes a last pin 3 (FIG. 2) for entering the usual thimble hole in the heel end portion of the last, and a toe rest 5 for supporting a toe portion of the shoe assembly, the toe rest 5 being adjustably mounted heightwise with respect to the base plate I. For this purpose the toe rest is mounted on a support 6 having a depending threaded stem received in a boss 8 on the base plate, a threaded collar 10 on the threaded stem and resting on the boss 8 determining the heightwise position of the toe rest. Some adjustment of the toe rest, lengthwise of a shoe, is also provided.

The base plate I also supports upper tensioning means provided by a gripper 7 which is mounted in the machine as will be hereinafter described and serves to grip a marginal portion of the upper at one side of the shoe in a locality just heelward of the joint region of the shoe and is then moved to pull the upper (see FIG. 1) heightwise and inwardly (and somewhat toewardly) with respect to the adjacent edge portion of the insole so as to draw the upper tightly about the last. Furthermore the base plate 1 also supports upper wiping de vices provided by rotatable rolls 9 and l l which are arranged to engage marginal portions of the upper and wipe them inwardly with respect to edge portions of the insole as hereinafter described. The roll 9, which is conical in form and has a helically ribbed upper engaging surface, is arranged, as it operates on a shoe assembly supported by the shoe supporting means, to be moved lengthwise along the shoe so that it operates in a region extending forwardly from about the heelbreast position to a locality just heelward of the portion gripped by the gripper 7, while the roll 1 I is cylindrical in form and has a helically ribbed upper engaging surface for wiping marginal portions of the upper inwardly with respect to the insole, the roll 11 being caused progressively to operate from a region at about the tip-line of the shoe heelwardly towards the gripper 7. As the roll 11 approaches the gripper, the gripper jaws are automatically opened so that the gripper releases the upper and allows the roll 11 to continue in its movement towards the heel to an extent sufficient to wipe down the portion of the upper which had been gripped by the gripper, the wiping operation overlapping, to some extent, the toeward end of the region of operation of the roll 9. The tolls 9 and 11 are arranged to be continuously rotated in such directions that the helically ribbed upper-engaging portions thereon tend to urge portions of the upper engaged thereby inwardly with respect to the edge: of the insole. The roll 9 is conical in form because of the transversely curved nature of the insole in the region operated upon by the toll, the pointed end of the roll being directed towards a midline portion of the insole which lies at a higher level than do portions at the insole edge. The conical shape of the roll thus is likely to avoid any tendency for the inner end of the roll to dig into the insole and to lift the roll away from the lasting marginal portions of the upper in the vicinity of the edge of the insole. In the forepart region the transverse curvature of the shoe bottom is not so marked and a cylindrical roll is therefore suitable for operating in this region of the shoe.

Because the side portions of the shoe are relatively straight, in that they do not contain shafp curvature (in outline) in the region of operation of the roll 9, it has been found that it is sufficient to traverse the roll 9 along the shoe bottom in a straight line, the direction of which lies parallel to the shank S of the shoe. Through inspection of FIG. 1 of the drawings it will be observed that, when a shoe assembly is supported on the shoe supporting means, the shank S is inclined somewhat from the centre line of the machine, the shank for a right shoe being inclined somewhat towards the left (as one proceeds from the heel end towards the toe end) while the shank for the left shoe will be similarly inclined towatds the right. With a view to positioning a guide for the movement of the roll 9 in a direction parallel to the direction occupied by the shank S, the following arrangement is provided. A carrier plate which lies above the base plate 1 is mounted for swinging movement relative thereto about a pivot stud 17 which extends heightwise and lies beneath the last pin 3 as shown in FIG. 2 and supports a mounting 18 for the last pin. The mounting 18 permits the pin 3 to adjust, in inclination, to suit the style of shoe being operated upon. A plate-like support 19 is secured, at a lower end portion, to the swinging carrier plate 15, an upper end portion of the support 19 carrying a guide member 21 which is secured to the support 19 in such a manner as to overhand the support at either side thereof and provide flat under-faces 23. An upper face of the guide member 21 is provided with a groove 25 extending lengthwise of the guide member.

A carriage 27 is mounted for movement, in a direction extending parallel to the groove 25, upon the guide member 21, the carriage being plate-like in form and having a pair of rolls 28 mounted on studs 29 depend ing from its under side, the rolls 28 riding within the groove 25. Extending downwardly from the carriage 27 are four brackets 31 (two at each side of the guide member 21). Each bracket 31 carries a stud 33 on which is rotatably mounted a roll 35 arranged to engage the under-faces 23 of the guide member 21. Se cured to the carriage 27 so as to extend upwardly therefrom is a bracket 37 on which an arm 39 is pivoted by means of a stud 41 which extends widthwise from the bracket 37. The arm 39 extends from the stud 41 in a direction towards the toe of a shoe supported in the machine and at an end portion remote from the stud 41 is provided with a bearing sleeve 43 which provides a bearing for a shaft portion 45 of the roll 9. A midportion of the arm 39 is slotted to receive a piston rod 47 extending downwardly from a cylinder 49 supported on a pivot pin 51 extending, from the bracket 37. The lower end portion of the piston rod 47 is threaded into a cross pin 51 which is rotatably mounted in aligned bores in the arm 39. lt will be understood that the cylinder 49 is connected in a pneumatic circuit arrangement such that air under pressure applied to the upper end of the cylinder 49 urges a piston connected with the piston rod 47 downwardly to swing the arm 39 about the stud 41 in a direction to carry the roll 9 towards the shoe bottom and yieldably to press the work-engaging surface of the roll into engagement with marginal portions of the upper, while the admission of compressed air to the lower end of the cylinder 49 swings the arm 39 about the pivot 41 in a direction to carry the roll 9 away from engagement with the shoe.

For moving the roll 9 in a direction extending lengthwise of the shoe to cause it progressively to wipe marginal portions of the upper along the side of the shoe inwardly of the edge of the insole, the illustrative machine is provided with a cylinder 61 which is secured to a plate 63 which in turn is secured to the support 19. Within the cylinder 61 is a piston (not shown) having a piston rod 65, a threaded end portion of which is secured to the carriage 27. The cylinder 61 is connected in the pneumatic control circuit of the machine and it will be appreciated that the admission of air under pressure at the right hand end (as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the cylinder causes the piston rod 65 to move outwardly of the cylinder and thereby to move the carriage 27 so that the roll 9 supported thereon operates on the upper from a locality adjacent a heelward end portion of the shoe (as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2) towards the toe end. Similarly the admission of air under pressure to the other end of the cylinder 61 causes the carriage 27 to be moved back to its original position.

In order to cause the roll 9 in its movement lengthwise of the shoe to move in a direction parallel to that occupied by the shank S it is necessary to swing the carrier plate 15 about the stud 17 to the required position and for effecting such swing movement of the carrier plate automatically the following arrangement is provided. A pair of shoe upper engaging members, provided by clamping pads 71, are provided (one at either side of the heelward end portion of a shoe assembly supported in the machine). The clamping pads 71 are secured to blocks 73 secured to upper end portions of posts 75 extending upwardly from end portions of arms 77 of two-armed levers, having other arms 81. The levers are pivotally mounted, mid-way between their ends, on pivot studs 79 upstanding from the swinging carrier plate 15, spacers 82 being placed between the plate 15 and the two-armed levers. End portions of the arms 81 remote from the pivot studs 79 are connected, one by a pivot pin 83 to one end of a cylinder 85, and the other by a pivot pin 89 to a piston rod 87 extending from the other end of the cylinder. A link 91 is connected, at one end, by a stud 93 to a lug extending inwardly from one of the arms 77 as seen in FIG. 1. The other end of the link 91 is connected, by a stud 95 to a lug extending inwardly from the arm 81 of the other two-armed lever. The arrangement is such that, with the cylinder exhausted of air, a return spring (not shown) holds the rod 87 at the inner position relative to the cylinder as seen in FIG. 1. Under these circumstances the two-armed levers (77, 81) are swung in such directions (about their pivot studs 79) that the clamping pads 71 are separated and lie at some distance from the opposite sides of the heel end portion of the shoe assembly (as shown in FIG. 1). When air is admitted to the cylinder 85 the levers are swung in opposite directions about their pivot studs 79 to equal extents by reason of the connection between the two armed levers by the connecting link 91. During the inwards swinging movement of the arms 77 one of the clamping pads 71 will engage a side portion of the shoe, and, on continued swinging movement of the arms 77, will cause the carrier plate 15 to swing about the pivot stud 17 until the other one. of the clamping pads 71 engages the opposite side of the shoe. Swinging movement of the carrier plate 15 will then be arrested in such a position that the groove 25 determining the direction of movement of the carrier 27 then lies at least substantially parallel to the shank S. The clamping pads 71 will, as they clampthe opposite sides of the heel end portion of the shoe, hold the plate 15 firmly in position.

The roll 11 has a shaft portion 99 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing bush 101 extending transversely through one end of an arm 103 the other end of which is pivotally mounted upon a stud 105 extending generally widthwise of a toe end portion of the shoe. The pivot stud 105 is carried by a bracket 107 which extends upwardly from a carriage 117 hereinafter referred to. An upper end portion of the bracket 107 carries a pin 108 on which is pivotally supported an upper end portion of a cyliner 109 within which is a piston (not shown). Extending downwardly from the piston is a piston rod 11 1, a lower end of which is threaded into a pin 1 13 received within aligned bores in portions of the arm 103 lying at opposite sides of a slot in the arm. Air pressure supplied to the cylinder 109 above the piston urges the arm 103 downwardly about the stud 105 to urge the roll 11 into engagement with mar ginal portions of the upper while air pressure admitted to the cylinder 109 below the piston raises the toll away from the shoe bottom. The carriage 117 is caused to travel, substantially lengthwise of the shoe, to carry the roll 11 from an initial position, as shown in FIG. 1, at about the tip-line of the shoe heelwardly towards the locality of action of the gripper 7. Since the forepart portion of the shoe extending into the joint region is more curved than the remaining side portion of the shoe extending from the joint towards the heel the carriage 117 is caused to move along a curved path (rather than a straight path as in the case of the roll 9). The curved path may be of a compromise shape suitable to cause the roll 11 satisfactorily to operate on shoes of different sizes and styles within quite a range. The carriage 117 is provided with downwardly extending studs 119 on which are rotatably mounted rolls l2l,'the rolls being received within a curved guideway 123 as shown in FIG. 1. The guideway 123 is formed in an upper surface of a guide member 125 and the carriage 117 has downwardly extending brackets 126 having studs 127 carrying rolls 129 which are arranged to engage under surfaces 131 of the guide member 125. The guide member 125 is secured upon a support 133 which extends upwardly from the base plate 1. A cylinder 135 is pivotally supported upon an upstanding post (not shown) a lower end portion of which is secured to the base plate 1. Extending from the cylinder 125 is a piston rod 139 which is secured to a pivot pin 141 which is received within an end portion of the carriage 117. Admission of air under pressure to the cylinder 135 behind a piston on the piston rod 139 will move the carriage heelwardly along the guide member 125.

The upper tensioning gripper 7 is supported upon a post 151 upstanding from the base plate 1. The upper end of the post 151 carries a plate 153 which, as shown in FIG. 3, extends downwardly at some 45 to the horizontal. Mounted at an upper end portion of the plate 153 is a bracket 155 which, by a pin 157, supports an upper end portion of the gripper 7. The gripper 7 comprises a cylinder 159 having lugs extending therefrom, the lugs being bored to receive the pin 157. The cylinder 159 has slidably mounted therein a piston (not shown), the piston rod 161 of which is secured to a second cylinder 163 which has a pair of lugs 165 between which extends a pivot pin 167. Located on the pivot pin 167 between the lugs 165 is a pair of jaws 169. The gripper jaws 169 have tail portions (not shown) between which is urged a cam roll (also not shown) the cam roll being carried by a piston rod of a piston housed within the cylinder 163. It will be appreciated that, when air under pressure is admitted behind the piston in the cylinder 163, the jaws 169 are caused to close and grip a marginal portion of the upper located therebetween. On exhaustion of air from the cylinder 163, reverse movement of the piston within the cylinder 163 takes place under the action of suitable spring means, the jaws being opened. When air is admitted at the upper end portion of the cylinder 159 the piston therein is moved downwardly to carry the cylinder 163 (and the gripper jaws supported thereon) towards the bottom of a shoe supported on the shoe supporting means. In order to prevent the gripper jaws 169 of the cylinder 163 rotating with respect to the axis of the cylinder 159, there is provided a guide member 171 which is secured to a side portion of the cylinder 163 and extends upwardly alongside the cylinder 159. The guide member has a slot 172 extending parallel to the axis of the cylinders and, received within this slot, is a block 173 which is secured to the cylinder 159. In order to support the gripper at the required angle about the pivot pin 157 there is provided a supporting post 175 which has a threaded portion 177 received in a threaded bore extending from the plate 153; a lock nut 179 is threaded on to the threaded portion 177 and by rotation of the post (the lock nut being slackened), the operator may adjust the heightwise position of the upper surface of the post 175 (which surface engages a portion of the cylinder 159) so as to support the gripper in the desired position. When properly adjusted the threaded portion may be held against further movement by tightening of the lock nut 179.

In order to hold the shoe against the pulling force of the gripper, there is provided a thrust member 181 carried by a screw support 183 threaded into a bracket 185 secured to a lower end portion of the plate 153. By rotation of the threaded support 183 the position of the thrust member may be adjusted so that, when the shoe is property supported in position by the shoe supporting means, the thrust member 181 can be brought into engagement with a side portion of the shoe at about the featherline of the last as shown in FIG. 3. Initially the gripper 7 occupies a raised position in which the jaws are open and remote from the shoe (shown in full lines in FIG. 3). When air under pressure is admitted to the upper end of the cylinder 159, the cylinder 163 and the gripper jaws are moved downwardly at an inclined angle until the jaws 169 lie at opposite sides of a marginal portion of the upper in a locality just heelwardly of the joint region of the shoe whereupon air under pressure is admitted to the upper end of the cylinder 163 causing the jaws to close upon the marginal portion of the upper and firmly grip it.

In order to determine the position taken up by the gripper jaws when in upper gripping position the block 173, by engagement with an end face 199 of the slot 172, limits the downward movement of the cylinder 163 and hence of the gripper jaws. When the gripper is operating on a shoe for the opposite foot the jaws do not need to move quite so for downwardly as they do when the gripper is operating on a shoe as shown in FIG. 3. In order to limit the downward movement of the gripper jaws there is provided a latch member 187 in the form of a bell crank lever which is pivoted on the pin 157. The latch member has a downwardly extending tail portion 189 which may be engaged by a piston rod 191 extending from a cylinder 193 mounted on the bracket 155. When air under pressure is applied to the rear end of the cylinder 193 the piston rod 191 is extended to engage the tail portion 189 and urge the latch member 187 in a clockwise direction (as seen in FIG. 3) about the pin 157 so that a catch portion 195 of the latch member is held clear ofa shoulder 197 formed on the guide member 171. Under these circumstances the gripper jaws move downwardly to the full extent determined by engagement of the block 173 with the end face 199 of the slot 172. However, if no air pressure is applied to the rear end portion of the cylinder 193, a spring arrangement urges the latch member about the pin 157 in an anti-clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 3 so that (as the gripper jaws move towards the shoe bottom) the catch portion 195 rides down an inclined portion of the guide member into engagement with the shoulder 197. The relationship of the various parts is such that, in these circumstances, the gripper jaws 169 are not allowed to move so far downwardly as they are in the former case.

In the course of a cycle of operations of the machine, after the gripper jaws have been moved downwardly to operative position and have gripped the upper (then occupying the chain line position shown in FIG. 3) the upper end portion of the cylinder 159 is connected to exhaust and air under pressure is admitted to the lower end of the cylinder 159 causing the gripper to move to tension the upper firmly about the last. The actual pull imparted to the upper by the gripper may readily be determined by means of an adjustable pressure control valve in the line supplying air under pressure to the cylinder 159.

For determining whether or not the cylinder 193 is supplied with air under pressure there is provided a valve device 201 which is secured to an upper portion of the base plate 1 and has an actuating member provided with a roll 203 which may be engaged by an abutment provided by a set screw 205 adjustably secured to a member 206 carried by the carrier plate 15. The arrangement is such that, when (for example) a shoe for a right foot is supported by the shoe supporting means (as shown in FIG. 1) the carrier plate is caused to swing about the pivot stud 17 in an anti-clockwise direction so that the guide 25 lies parallel to the axis of the shank S as above explained. Under these circumstances the abutment provided by the set screw 205 does not engage the roll 203 and the valve 201 is not actuated so that no pressure is supplied behind the piston in the cylinder 193 and the latch member 187 is then operative to limit the downward movement of the gripper by engagement of the shoulder 197 with the catch portion 195 of the latch member. If, however, the machine is operating on a shoe for the left foot the carrier plate 15 will be swung in the opposite direction about the pivot stud 17, under which circumstances the set screw 205 will be caused to engage the roll 203 and actuate the valve device 201 thereby to supply air under pressure to the cylinder 193 so that the piston rod 191 is extended to hold the latch member in an inoperative position. Under these circumstances the gripper 7 moves to its full extent as determined by engagement of the block 173 with the end face 199 of the groove 172.

For driving the rolls 9 and 11 there is provided a motor 211 (FIG. 4) which is secured to a base plate 225 forming part of the machine frame the base plate having an upstanding bearing plate 227 secured thereto. A driving pinion 213 on the motor shaft engages a gear 215 which is secured to a shaft 216 rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing in the bearing plate 227. The shaft 216 is connected by means of a flexible drive 217 to the shaft 45 of the roll 9. The driving pinion 213 of the motor shaft is also connected (via an idler gear 219 freely rotatable upon a stud 220 carried by the bearing plate 227) with a gear wheel 22] formed on a shaft 222 also rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in the bearing plate 227. The shaft 222 is connected by means of a flexible drive 223 with the shaft of the roll 11. By these means the rolls 9 and 11 are driven in opposite directions, the directions of drive being such that the helically ribbed portions of the rolls tend to urge upper material engaged thereby in a direction extending inwardly over the insole from the edge thereof.

There will now be given with reference to FIG. 5 a brief description of a control circuit arrangement suitable for operating the operative elements of the illustrative machine. The supply of air under pressure to the cylinder 159 advancing and retracting the gripper is under the control of a valve V1. Air under pressure may be admitted to the gripper closing cylinder 163 by operation of a valve V4, this valve being pilot operated, being moved from the position in which it is shown in FIG. 5 to its other position in which air is supplied to the cylinder 163 to cause closing of the gripper jaws, by air being supplied, on operation of a valve V2, to the right hand pilot of the valve V4 (as seen in FIG. 5). When it is desired to release the gripper jaws air pressure is supplied to the left hand pilot of valve V4 by the operation of a valve V5 hereinafter referred to.

To initiate operation of the wiping roll 9 valve V3 is operated to supply air to the right hand pilot of valve V6 and (via a flow restrictor valve V8) to the left hand pilot of valve V7 as shown in FIG. 5. When valve V6 is in the position shown in FIG. 5 air pressure is applied to the lower end of cylinder 49 holding the roll 9 in its upper position out of engagement with the shoe. When the right hand pilot of V6 is activated the valve is moved into a position in which air is supplied (via a pressure regulator valve V14) to the upper end of the cylinder 49 and the roll 9 is moved downwardly yieldably to engage lasting marginal portions of the upper and press them (with a force determined by the setting of V14) against the insole as they are wiped inwardly by the action of the wiping roll. With the valve V7 in the position shown in FIG. 5 air pressure is applied to that end portion of the cylinder 61 which causes the carrier 27 to be held in its heelward position. Operation of the valve V7 by the admission of air pressure to its left hand pilot as shown in FIG. 5 causes the connections to the cylinder 61 to be reversed so that air pressure is applied behind the piston so as to cause the carriage 27 to move from the heel end of the shoe towards the toe end. The rate at which the carriage 27 moves will be controlled by a suitable flow control valve V17 in the supply line to the cylinder 61. The flow restrictor valve V8 ensures that the valve V6 is operated prior to the operation of valve V7 so that, before the carriage 27 commences to move, the roll 9 is applied to the shoe bottom. As the roll 9 travels along the shoe bottom into the vicinity of operation of the gripper a valve V9 is operated, by engagement of its operating member with an abutment carried by the carriage 27, and operation of the valve V9 applies air pressure to the left hand pilot of V6 (operating to remove the roll 9 from engagement with the shoe) and to the right hand pilot of valve V7, reversing the direction of movement of the carriage 27 to carry the roll 9 back to its initial position. Actuation of the valve V9 also applies air pressure to the right hand pilot of a valve V10 and, via a suitable flow restrictor valve V13, to the left hand pilot of valve V11. Prior to the operation of valve V10 air under pressure had been supplied (as shown in FIG. to the lower end of cylinder 109 to hold the roll 11 out of engagement with the shoe bottom. Actuation of the valve V under action of the valve V9, causes air pressure at a suitable pressure determined by a pressure regulating valve V16 to be applied to the upper end of cylinder 109 to swing the lever 103 in a direction to carry the roll 11 into engagement with the shoe bottom. Operation of the valve V11 also as a consequence of operation of valve V9 (but, due to the action of the retrictor valve V13, after actuation of valve V10) causes air pressure to be applied, via a flow control valve V15, behind the piston of cylinder 135 to cause the carriage 117 to commence its movement from a locality adjacent the toe end of the shoe towards the heel end the rate of movement being governed by setting of the flow control valve V in the supply line to cylinder 135. As movement of the carriage 117 causes the roll 11 to approach the vicinity of action of the gripper, the carriage engages an actuator of the valve V5 to operate the valve and apply pilot pressure to the left hand pilot of valve V4 (as in FIG. 5) whereupon valve V4 is reversed to connect the cylinder 163 to exhaust so that a spring operates to open the gripper jaws to release the upper whereupon the gripper is moved away from the shoe to its initial position due to air pressure still acting beneath the piston in the cylinder 159. Having operated valve V5 the carriage, with the roll 11, continues its movement towards the heel end of the shoe so that the roll 11 continues its inwiping action wiping the portion of the upper which had been gripped by the gripper inwardly over the shoe bottom and the wiping action continuing to overlap the portion which had previously been wiped by the roll 9. The carriage 117 then actuates a valve V12, whereupon air pressure is supplied to the left hand pilot of valve V10 to reverse the air supply to cylinder 109 and raise the roll 11 away from engagement with the shoe, pilot pressure also being supplied to the right hand pilot of valve Vll to move that valve back to its original position and reverse the air supply connections to cylinder 135 to return the carriage 117 to its initial position. The operation of the machine is thereby completed and the operator may remove the shoe from the machine.

lf it is desired to operate upon shoes the toe and forepart of which have previously been lasted back to the joint region and it is unnecessary to employ the roll 11, the circuit may be so arranged that a valve (similar to valve V5) for effecting release of the upper by the gripper is positioned so as to be operated by the carriage 27 before it reaches the end of its travel toewards, the

travel of the carriage being extended (as compared with the extent of its travel when the roll 11 is operative) to be sufficient to cause the roll 9 to operate on the portion of the upper which had been gripped by the gripper and to overlap slightly the region lasted during the toe and forepart lasting operation. At the end of its travel the carriage actuates valve V9 to activate valve V6 and V7 as before to return the roll 9 to its original position. However, when only the roll 9 is to be used, valve V9 will be isolated from the pilots of valve V10 and V11 so as not to initiate action of the roll 11.

ln following the first illustrative method of lasting side portions of the upper of a shoe, a shoe assembly comprising an upper U mounted on a last L having an insole l on its last bottom will, preferably after the toe and heel seat portions of the upper assembly have been lasted to the insole, be supported, conveniently bottom up as indicated in FIG. 1 in order that a marginal portion of the upper at a locality intermediate the ends of the side portion of the shoe to be lasted, and preferably at a locality just heelwardly of the joint region of the shoe, may be gripped by a gripper (such as the gripper 7 shown in FIG. 1) and the gripper caused to operate to pull the marginal portion of the upper gripped thereby in a direction heightwise of the shoe away from the shoe bottom and inwardly with respect to the edge of the insole (as shown in FIG. 1). While the upper remains gripped by the gripper and pulled snugly about the last, marginal portions of the upper which lie between heel seat portion and the portion gripped by the gripper will be wiped inwardly of the edge of the insole progressively by wiping means which is caused to operate first at the heel end of the side portion of the shoe and to be moved towards the locality of operation of the gripper. Conveniently the inwiping means may comprise a rotatable roll as shown in FIG. 1, the roll being provided with a helically ribbed upper-engaging surface and being rotated continuously in a direction to cause the helically ribbed surface to wipe the marginal portions of the upper engaged thereby in a direction extending inwardly of the edge of the insole. In following the illustrative method, the action of the wiping means just referred to will be arrested at a locality in the vicinity of the locality of operation of the gripper and marginal portions of the upper lying between the toe and the portion gripped by the gripper will then be progressively wiped inwardly of the edge of the insole by wiping means applied to the marginal portions at a locality adjacent the toe end portion and moved towards the portion of the upper engaged by the gripper, i.e. the wiping means is moved heelwardly of the shoe as shown in FIG. 1 as it progressively operates on the upper. Conveniently this wiping action may also be performed by wiping means comprising a rotatable roll, such as the roll 11 shown in FIG. 1, the roll having a helically ribbed work-engaging surface and being rotated in such a direction (opposite to that in which the roll above re- .ferred to is rotated) to cause the marginal portions of the upper engaged thereby to be wiped inwardly of the edge of the shoe bottom. As the wiping means approaches the portion of the upper gripped by the gripper, the gripper is caused to release its hold upon the marginal portion and to be removed out of the way of the advancing wiping means which is caused then to continue its movement towards the heel and to wipe the portion of the upper which had been gripped by the gripper inwardly with respect to the adjacent edge portion of the insole and preferably to continue far enough heelwardly to overlap the portion of the upper previously wiped down on the heelward side of the locality of operation of the gripper. The sequence of operations is then repeated at the opposite side of the shoe, so that the shoe is then completely lasted.

If a shoe is being operated upon in which not only the toe portion but also the forepart portion back to the joint region has been previously lasted, only the portions of the upper extending between the heel end portion and the joint will need to be lasted in the side lasting operation and in such a case a second illustrative method may be followed in which the upper is gripped by gripping means applied just heelwardly of the previously lasted toe and forepart region and the upper is pulled by a pull applied as above referred to and then wiping means is caused to operate progressively from the heel end of the side portion towards the joint and, as wiping means approaches the portion of the upper gripped by the gripper, the grip on that portion is released so as to allow the wiping means to continue to operate past the locality of operation of the gripper to wipe the previously gripped portion of the lasting margin down on to the insole and to overlap to some extent the previously lasted margin at the toe and forepart.

If the upper has not been seat lasted prior to the side lasting operation, it may be desirable, especially if a backpart moulding operation has not been performed on the upper, to condition the heel end portion of the upper by heat or otherwise to condition any stiffener (counter) present at the heel end portion of the upper, and to deflect portions of the upper at the side of the heel seat inwardly with respect to the insole before applying the wiping means.

The illustrative machine could be provided with suitably operated upper margin engaging deflecting means, for example finger means, suitably mounted on the arms 77, and arranged, on inward swinging movement being imparted to the anus to cause the clamping pads 71 to engage the opposite side of the heel end portion of the shoe assembly supported by the shoe supporting means, to engage marginal portions of the upper which are upstanding at about the breast-line region, and deflect those portions downwardly towards the insole into positions where they may be properly engaged by the wiping means as it approaches the shoe bottom.

The illustrative machine as hereinbefore described is arranged to operate at one side only of a shoe presented thereto and a modified form of the machine may be provided which lends itself to incorporation in an automatic or semi-automatic lasting line comprising a number of stations at which portions of the shoe are lasted in sequence, until the whole shoe is lasted. For example such a line may conveniently comprise a pulling over station, a seat lasting station and a pair of side lasting stations arranged in suitable order with an arrangement for sequentially presenting a shoe assembly to the various stations. As far as the side lasting stations are concerned each conveniently comprises lasting instrumentalities like the gripper 7, and wiping rolls 9 and ll, together with their operating mechanism, all supported conveniently from an overhead framework so that a shoe assembly suitably mounted upon shoe supporting means, provided by a jack for example, may travel first to present the assembly supported thereby to the lasting instrumentalities of one side lasting station to be operated thereon to last the shoe at one side thereof, and then to the lasting instrumentalities of the second side lasting station to last the shoe at the other side thereof. With such an arrangement adhesive applying means may conveniently be arranged at the ingoing side of each side lasting station arranged to apply adhesive to marginal portions of the insole, as the shoe as sembly travels past the applying means, at the side of the shoe to be lasted by the immediately succeeding side lasting station.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for lasting the side portions of shoes including a support for holding a shoe comprising an upper assembled on a last, a gripper arranged to grip and tension the margin of the upper heightwise of the last at one side of the shoe intermediate the ends of a side portion to be lasted, means for progressively wiping the margin of said portion inwardly over the last bottom, means for applying the wiping means in a heightwise direction first against the upper margin at one end of said portion, means thereafter effective for moving the wiping means lengthwise of the shoe toward the gripper, and means for causing the gripper to re lease the upper as the wiping means approaches the griper to permit the wiping means to continue its movement toward the other end of said portion.

2. A machine according to claim I and also having additional wiping means for progressively wiping the margin of said portion, means for applying the additional wiping means against the upper at the opposite end of said portion before application of the first named wiping means, means for moving the additional wiping means lengthwise toward said gripper and control means for stopping the lengthwise movement of the additional wiping means short of the gripper and for commencing the operation of the applying and moving means of the first named wiping means.

3. A machine according to claim 2 in which the additional wiping means is retracted to permit passage of the first named wiping means. 

1. In a machine for lasting the side portions of shoes including a support for holding a shoe comprising an upper assembled on a last, a gripper arranged to grip and tension the margin of the upper heightwise of the last at one side of the shoe intermediate the ends of a side portion to be lasted, means for progressively wiping the margin of said portion inwardly over the last bottom, means for applying the wiping means in a heightwise direction first against the upper margin at one end of said portion, means thereafter effective for moving the wiping means lengthwise of the shoe toward the gripper, and means for causing the gripper to release the upper as the wiping means approaches the griper to permit the wiping means to conTinue its movement toward the other end of said portion.
 2. A machine according to claim 1 and also having additional wiping means for progressively wiping the margin of said portion, means for applying the additional wiping means against the upper at the opposite end of said portion before application of the first named wiping means, means for moving the additional wiping means lengthwise toward said gripper and control means for stopping the lengthwise movement of the additional wiping means short of the gripper and for commencing the operation of the applying and moving means of the first named wiping means.
 3. A machine according to claim 2 in which the additional wiping means is retracted to permit passage of the first named wiping means. 